Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-12-16

tariff imposes upon every agricultural
and upon all be uses and
owns, excep: the increase OF bis Aocks
and herds and such things as his hus-
bandry produces from the soil, is in
vited to aid in maintaining the pres
ent situation, and he is told that q
high duty on imported wool is neces-
sary for the benefit of those who have
sheep to shear in order that the price
of wool may be increased. They, of
course, are not reminded that the
farmer who has no sheep ia by this
scheme obliged. in his purchases of
clothing and wooden goods, to pay a
tribute to his fellow farmer as well
as to the manufacturer and merchant;
nor is any mention made of the fact
that the sheep-owners themselves and
their households must wear clothing
and use other articles manufactured
from the wool they sell at tariff
prices, and thus, as consumers, must
return their share of this increased
price to the tradesmsn. l think it
may be fairly assumed that q large
proportion of the sheep owned by the
farmers throughout the country are
found in small docks nu bering from
twenty-five to fifty. The duty on
the grade of imported wool which
these sheep yield is 10 per cent for
each pound if of the value of 80 cents
or less, and IL cents if of the value of
more than 80 cents. If the liberal
estimate Of six pounds be allowed for
each fleece. the duty thereon would
be 60 or 70 cents, and this may be
taken as the utmost enhancement of
its price to the farmer by reason of
this duty Eighteen dollars would
thus represent the increased price OF
the wool from twenty-five sheep and
$36 that from the wool of fifty sheep;
and at present values this addition
would amount to about one-third OF
its price. If upon its sale the farmer
receives this or less tariff profit, the
wool leaves his hands charged with
precisely that sum, which in all its
changes will adhere to it, until it
reaches the consumer. When manu-
factured into cloth and other goods
and material for use, its cost is not
only increased to the extent of the
farmers tariff profit, but q further
sum has been added for the benefit OF
the manufacturer under the operation
of other tariff laws. In the mean
time the day arrives when the farmer
finds it necessary to purchase wooden
goods and material to clothe himself
and family for the winter. When he
faces the tradesman for that purpose
he discovers that be is obliged not
only to return in the way of increas-
ed prices his tariff profit on the wool
be sold. and which then perhaps lies
before him in manufactured form, but
that he must add considerable sum
thereto to meet further increase in
cost caused by a tariff duty on the
manufacture. Thus in the end be is
aroused to the fact that he has paid
upon a moderate purchase, as a result
of the tariff scheme, which, when be
sold his wool seemed 80 profitable, an
increase in price more than sufficient
to sweep away all the tariff profit be
received upon the wool he produced
and sold
When the number of farmers en-
gagged in wool-raising is compared
with all the fal mers in the country,
and the small proportion they bear to
our population is cons idered; when it
is made spparant that in the case of a
large part of these who own sheep
tbs benefit of the present tariff on
wool is illusory, and. above all. when
it must be conceded that the increase
of the cost of living caused by such
tariff become a burden upon those
with moderate means, and the poor.
the unemployed aud employed, the
sick and well. and the young and old,
and that it constitutes q tax which
with relentless grasp is fastened up
on the clothing of every man. woman
and child 10 the land, reasons are
why the removal of or re-.
duction o. this duty should be includ.
ed in a revision of our tariff laws.
COMPETITION sTRANGLED.
In speaking of the increased cost to
the consumer of our home manufac-
lures. resulting from duty laid upon
imported articles of the same descrip.
tion, the fact is not overlooked that
competition among our domestic pro-
ducers sometimes has the effect of
keeping the price of their products
below the highest limit allowed by
such duty. But it is notorious that
this competition is too often strangled
by combinations quite prevalent at
this time, aud frequently called trusts.
which have for their object the regu-
lation of the supply and price Of COM
modities made and sold by members
of the combination. The people can
hardly hope for any consideration in
the operation of these selfish schemes
If, however, in the absence of such
combination, a healthy and free COM
petition reduces the price of any par
ticular dutisble article of home pro-
duction below the limit which it
might otherwise reach under our
tariff laws, and if with such reduced
price its manufacturers continue to
thrive, it is entirely evident that one
thing has been discovered which
should be carefully scrutinized in an
effort to reduce taxation.
The necessity of combination to
the price of any commodity
to the tariff point furnishes proof that
some one is willing to accept lower
prices for such commodity, and that
such prices are remunerative; and
lower prices produced by competition
prove the same thing. Thus, where
either of these conditions exist, case
would seem to be presented tor an
easy reduction of taxation.
THE REMEDY SUGGESTED.
The considerations which have been
presented touching our tariff laws are
intended only to enforce an earnest
recommendation that the surplus rev,
enues of the Government be prevented
by the reduction of our country du-
ties, and at tie same time to empha.
size suggestion that in accomplish
ing this purpose we may discharge a